Chapter 11
The morning greeted the party with a miserable drizzle. Fate's ankle was stiff, but he found he could walk with no trouble. He and Graves broke camp quickly and were waiting impatiently on their horse while the guards moved at what felt like a sluggish pace.
"Guess they've never known what it's like to have to get away in a hurry," Graves commented, punctuating his statement with a draw on his cigar.
Fate simply sat with his lit cigarette hanging from his mouth limply. He scanned the mass of guards and finally spotted Umabel emerge from one of the large tents. She wore a black traveling cloak, and her eyes avoided Twisted Fate at all costs. On top of that, she was never alone, between all the guards and her mother fussing over her at all times. Fate sighed, letting out a moist puff of breath that had nothing to do with the cigarette.
Other than the guards bumbling around camp, the morning's events consisted of Katarina shouting a whole lot and tossing knives at several "suspicious" birds that never had a chance.
"Let's go, let's get moving!" she ordered, "I want to be at Noxus before noon, do you understand me?"
The group finally plodded onward through the gray, misty day. The trip was uneventful, though the road began filling up with various other travels as they approached the vicinity of Noxus. This is where being escorted came in handy, as the travelling party easily waded through the crowds by sheer prestige. They passed everyone from lesser nobles to merchants to farmers with their crops. Fate even spotted a gypsy caravan, their purple wagons dangling with baubles and trinkets. He hoped he didn't know any of them.
Fate kept glancing back at Umabel's window, but she never appeared. He had wanted to apologize, but that seemed unlikely as they drew nearer to Noxus.
"You got anything to drink Malcolm?"
"Nothing that'd get you drunk," Graves told him, "What's eatin' ya Fate, you oughta be happier than a termite at a saw mill; we're near to Noxus already."
Fate started mumbling, "That girl, Umabel, came to talk to me last night."
"Hoo, boy," Graves moaned, "Fate…please tell me you didn't…do anything."
"Naw nothing like that just…she got mad at me."
"Ya know Fate, I really wish you'd pull in your horns sometimes. You can't help but look to get into trouble."
"Look it's about…" Fate looked around cautiously. He leaned back, closer to Graves. "I think I might have some information on her."
"The girl knew things?" Graves asked.
"No, but she knew about magic—"
"Dear lord…"
"—and I narrowed down some possibilities. She ended up near Zaun, right? Then back in Howling Marsh? Well, both flying and teleportation are rare or impossible. Umabel never heard of flyin' and teleportation is summoner magic—meanin' you need one of them power crystals."
Graves grunted. "How does that help us?"
"Well, we narrowed it down see? She is either a summoner, or she has some sort of other magic. And apparently to use magic, ya need to be born with it, or you need a special item…a relic-type."
"Ya lost me Fate," Graves stated. "I don't know why you can't just go with the flow for now. Our job ain't to capture her."
Fate sat up. "Malcolm Graves? Goin' with the flow?"
Graves shrugged. "I don't mind it if the flow is headed the right direction. We can't get into no trouble with Blade Lady around."
He nodded towards Katarina, who was suddenly barking at a soldier who had broken formation around the caravan. His face was as red as his superior officer's hair. Fate smiled.
"Poor fella never stood a chance."
As they rolled through Noxus' gates at last the rain began steadily for an afternoon shower. The pair—afraid to break off from the group prematurely—cantered up besides Katarina's horse.
"So what's the plan, Ginger?" Graves shouted. "You want us gone yet?"
She rolled her eyes, but remained staring straight ahead. "You'll accompany us to the Noxian Palace. Then you'll wait while I do some checks on you two."
"How long'll that take?" Graves asked.
"As long as it needs to," she spat back. Her eyes narrowed, "Now get back in line before I change my mind about killing you."
Graves growled in return, then pulled back on the reigns to meld with the group once again.
They made their way slowly through the dark streets of Noxus. Twisted Fate had been here many times before and always remembered Noxus having a distinct flavor. The denizens were some of the most varied in all of Valoran; strange hags that sold bubbling potions stood along the streets, mercenaries of all shapes and sizes glared at you with scarred faces, pretty women with busty shapes threw alluring glances every way and thieves—hidden cleverly among them—lie in wait for every opportunity. And yes, the con-men; Fate remembered out-conning countless others in many of the numerous taverns in Noxus.
The dark pavement leads them from the shambles of the lower quarter to the gothic houses of the upper quarter. Climbing the steep incline upon which the Palace perched, they saw the high steeples grow in size as they passed mansions of Noxus' most valued citizens, mostly warriors and political officials (often one in the same).
At last, the tall dark marble columns stretched above everything else, marking their arrival to Noxian Palace. Fate knew that within dwelled some of the most powerful—and most feared—individuals in all Valoran. High command of Noxus were most comfortable when they stood above others less able than they, both literally and figuratively.
The caravan continued under the pillars, into the entrance area. When Graves urged their horse to follow, Katarina pulled hers in front of them.
"You stay here," she ordered. She nodded to a pair of guards who came up and took point on either side of Fate and Graves.
As the carriage pulled past, Fate searched the window for any glance he could get with Umabel. Through the pane, pelted by droplets, he could make out her pale face, peering up at the intimidating palace. He caught her gaze for only a moment, and as he did, he tipped his hat; he hoped she would interpret that as an apology. She merely returned to looking sadly at her destination.
Graves lit a cigar as they waited, seemingly unconcerned with the situation.
"Why aren't you more nervous?" Fate asked.
"You're always tellin' me to relax. So I'm relaxed," he countered.
"It's just not like you, is all. Any other day you'd be biting your nails about what could happen."
Graves shrugged. "We're in Noxus now. It's easy to disappear in a city like this. All it takes is an unexpected gallop and we're deep into the city."
"What about that Katarina?" Fate pointed out.
"I'll be looking for her reaction when she comes out. That woman has a terrible poker face," Graves noted. He blew smoke into the rainy air.
Sure enough, Katarina returned nearly an hour later, on foot this time. She must have had a grumpy expression, because Graves made no attempt to make a break for it. She really wanted to kill us, Fate chuckled to himself.
As she approached, Katarina waved the guards off. "Well, it looks like you boys check out after all. In fact, arrangements have been made for a rented house for you to stay in. Isn't that just—" she gave the pair an annoyed smirk "—peachy?"
"Well, thank you for the escort ma'am," Graves said in mock appreciation, "We'll be heading off now."
"Oh, but the escort hasn't ended, has it?" Katarina fingered a dagger on her belt. She gave Graves a menacing look. "I have yet to get you to your destination."
The two men glanced at each other. Neither of them wanted to gamble on this, not when they were so close.
"Lead the way then," Fate replied.
"Excellent," Katarina sneered, and she turned on her heel and headed back into the mansion district.
They took a mere five minutes before the red-head stopped them at a tall, black house with red shutters. The short lawn was closed in by an iron fence and upon the door an insignia of a dagger with a snake wrapped around it was etched in the dark cherry wood.
"Here you are boys," Katarina flung the gate open with a flick of the knife she held in her hand. "Enjoy your stay." As she strolled away, to make her point perfectly clear, she flipped them off behind her back.
"I would not want to work with her on a regular basis," Graves stated.
